Not excited by spending a week lying on the beach? Well there is plenty more to do during your stay. Dive or snorkel along coral reefs, sail between the islands, surf the waves or enjoy a fishing trip – there’s something for everyone.
Diving
Fiji scuba diving highlights include a fantastic variety of colorful soft corals, a wealth of marine life, lots of specialist scuba diving resorts and live-aboard dive charters as well as excellent snorkeling off the beach. The Fiji archipelago is encircled by a huge reef. Within its protected waters are shallow lagoons, steep drop off’s, and thousands of scuba dive sites. Most areas are easy to get to with plenty of resorts offering scuba diving scattered around the islands. Sea temperatures are incredibly warm – typically 25C in winter (May to Nov) and up to 30C in summer at depths of 5 meters. Visibility is also excellent with depths of 40 meters not unusual. The best diving conditions are early morning before the winds pick up. Heavy rainfall in the summer can obscure visibility off the main islands with river run-off.
Surfing
Surfing Fiji has a renowned reputation amongst the international surf community. The rave here is exciting reef breaks (not for beginners), secluded locations and the traditional Fijian hospitality. Most reef breaks around the islands are accessed only by boat so whilst this keeps the crowds down, it also puts the cost up. Specialist Fiji surfing resorts are found on Viti Levu, Mamanucas and Southern Islands. For the complete surfing Fiji experience, several live-aboard surf charters operate around the islands.
Fishing
With over 330 unspoiled islands in the Tropical South Pacific, Fiji provides an ideal destination for a large variety of fishing. With its estuaries, reef systems, deep water and many sea mounts, the type and style of fishing you tackle can be up to your personal preference. The type of fish caught range from Marlin, Sailfish, Wahoo, Yellowfin Tuna, MahiMahi, Giant Trevally and Coral Trout to name a few. The choice is yours.
Sailing
There are a number of yacht charter companies operating in Fiji and several marinas have private sailing schools. If you are looking for a Fiji sailing holiday, there are several areas to visit with good facilities. Destinations include the Mamanuca / Yasawa chain of islands (depart Musket Cove, Nadi and Lautoka), the Lomaiviti Group (depart Suva) and the Northern Islands (depart Savusavu). Barebacking is not advisable due to the dangerous reefs. Yacht charters usually come with a local skipper with lifetime knowledge of the reefs and weather conditions and an understanding of the delicate protocol required when visiting islands. Remote beaches, secluded bays and visiting traditional fishing villages are the highlights of all areas. When visiting an island, even if it’s just a matter of spending a day on the beach, permission should first be granted from the local village chief or spokesman with a presentation of Yaqona roots being made as the sevusevu or gift. Permission should also be granted at the main port of entry if visiting any of the outer islands of the Yasawa, Lomaiviti or Lau Groups. The Fiji Islands lie between 15’ and 22’ South latitude and 174’ East and 177’ West longitude. The Fiji sailing season begins in April and ends around December when unpredictable weather and tropical cyclones threaten the South Pacific. The 300+ islands that make up the Fiji Islands offer an excellent sailing environment – secluded bays, sweeping remote beaches and traditional Fijian villages. Many areas are inaccessible to tourism because of their remoteness and this gives yachties real scope for adventure. Excellent sailing conditions and a fantastic climate attracts racing boats and cruising yachts from around the world. Several agents provide full service to visiting luxury yachts, including arranging all custom and immigration clearances and crew placement. Fiji’s shipyards offer maintenance and repairs for both motor and sail boats.
